Over 200 new homes and creche approved for Portlaoise

MORE than 200 new houses and a creche have been approved for Portlaoise, after a majority of county councillors voted to rezone land in the town.

The addition of 202 units will almost treble the size of the newly constructed Sand Wood housing estate in Summerhill.

The first phase of the large private estate, which contains 112 homes, has already been completed. The rezoning will allow developer Bircrest Ltd to construct a further three phases, containing a total of 202 A-rated homes and a creche.

The project had already been passed by the planning department but required councillors to rezone land to residential for each phase, as it would otherwise be in contravention of the 2021-2027 County Development Plan.

Three of the county’s 19 councillors were absent when the issue came before the county council’s December monthly meeting this week. Fifteen of the 16 councillors present voted for rezoning, while one abstained.

The vote gives a green light for 86 four-bed homes and six two-bed sheltered housing units in phase two; a 961sq.m creche and 74 houses in phase three and 36 two-storey four-bedroom homes in phase four.

Although the rezoning was overwhelmingly passed, a number of councillors voiced some reservations, particularly regarding infrastructure and housing density.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley (Ind) raised concerns about traffic congestion, particularly after the planned 1,000-pupil new school building for Dunamase College is finally built, which she said should include a ‘park and stride’.

She also stressed that adequate infrastructure, including water services and other utilities, must be in place before the Sand Wood project goes ahead and asked that the access road be completed before house construction begins, to prevent construction traffic blocking an already congested route.

Cllr Dwane Stanley said: “I am concerned at the amount of housing going into one area. We need housing so I won’t oppose it, but we must have services.” 

Council director of services Angela McEvoy told the meeting that the project was submitted to Uisce Éireann and there was no concern regarding capacity in the water supply.

Cllr Paddy Buggy was concerned about housing density and stressed the need for more space around people’s homes. He said: “My biggest fear is that housing density is getting too high. We are getting too many houses into a small space.” 

Cllr John King from Rathdowney agreed and said: “Only a few years ago, you could drive your car around to the back of your house. Now you can’t even bring in a wheelie bin.” 

Ms McEvoy replied that the council followed national guidelines, so any change in policy regarding housing density would require change at national level.

Independent councillor Ollie Clooney from Durrow abstained from the vote, saying: “Too many houses are going into one area. We have to spread them out. There are too many going into Portlaoise and our little villages are dying. It’s just not good enough and I want a complete change of plan.” 

Graiguecullen-based Cllr Ben Brennan (Ind) agreed and said: “Small villages are dying fast. One school in our parish has only 12 kids now. It’s not looking good for the future of clubs and parishes.

“Portlaoise is way overpopulated, with no infrastructure and crowded schools. They are going to other schools because they have no room in their own schools, while it’s the opposite in rural areas.” 

However, Cathaoirleach Cllr Barry Walsh from Ballyroan gave a different view, as he said: “Ballyroan is an example of how a village can thrive once development comes in.” 

Ms McEvoy said the council had identified lands in all towns and villages across the county that may be suitable for housing. New plans in relation to the purchasing of land banks would be presented to councillors in 2026.

Ms McEvoy said: “We will be looking at those lands in terms of variation of the County Development Plan in the new year.” 

Three separate votes were taken to rezone each of the land banks at Summerhill, Portlaoise in order to expand the Sand Wood estate, with each carried by 16 votes to 15.

The three phases were formally proposed or seconded by councillors Catherine Fitzgerald (FF), Marie Tuohy (Lab), John Joe Fennelly (FF) and Tommy Mulligan (Ind).